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Updated Sep 09, 2024The 15 Best Rehearsal Dinner Venues in Chicago
These Windy City rehearsal dinner venues will sweep you off your feet.
Sweet Home, Chicago. There's really no place like it. The Second City is known for its world-renowned architecture, rich history, signature food, diverse neighborhoods, authentic attitudes and distinctly Midwestern vibes despite the big-city setting.
Chicago is also known as The City of Big Shoulders for its legacy of hard-working hustle. But this city doesn't just work hard—it plays hard, too, with world-class restaurants, bars and entertainment options that make for the perfect rehearsal dinner setting. Chicago is home to 77 neighborhoods with unique ethnic enclaves where Chinese, Indian, Polish, Mexican, Italian, German, Greek, Swedish and Ukrainian immigrants settled years ago, which means there's an abundance of delicious, diverse food options to choose from.
We've rounded up a list of our 15 favorite Chicago rehearsal dinner event spaces, each of which brings something unique to the table. From swanky hotels with stunning rooftop views, to industrial warehouses converted to wineries and breweries, to Chicago-style beef and pizza joints, this list has something for every couples' needs. Still searching for your perfect rehearsal dinner match? Check out The Knot Marketplace for a list of more Chicago rehearsal dinner venues complete with menu, capacity and pricing information.
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River Roast
Located on the Chicago River in the heart of River North, River Roast is the ideal picturesque spot for a wedding rehearsal dinner. Your guests will never forget having a drink on the riverfront patio overlooking some of the best views of the city Chicago has to offer. With eight private spaces accommodating 16–280 seated guests, River Roast works for parties of any size. Plus, the menu includes elevated takes on pub fare, including crispy salads, signature chicken breast, charcuterie boards and a shellfish bar.
Osteria Via Stato
If you're looking for a classic romantic vibe, look no further than Osteria Via Stato. This Italian restaurant features dimly lit stone walls and sweeping archways that make for the most romantic ambiance. It's no wonder this River North restaurant is a hugely popular rehearsal dinner location for private and semi-private parties of 10–225 guests. Menu options for a seated dinner include antipasti, pastas and classic dishes like wine-braised short rib and chicken Mario. Plus, you can choose to add on a gelato station, a s'more bar, or even an ice sculpture.
The Robey
From the jade green marble accents to the old-school elevators, every inch of this restored art deco hotel will transport you to a bygone era. Built in 1929, The Robey Hotel features several different settings for a post-rehearsal celebration. Choose between the second-floor Lounge, which seats 30, the glass-enclosed Boardroom, which seats 13, or two rooftops: The Up Room: a sleek, top-floor cocktail bar with capacity for a standing cocktail party of 20, or the 6th Cabana Club, a more casual spot with a rooftop pool that seats up to 50. Towering above the bustling Milwaukee/Damen/North Ave. intersection in Wicker Park, The Robey offers gorgeous and unique skyline views from the northwest side of the city.
City Winery
Located in a converted warehouse in the trendy West Loop neighborhood, City Winery's exposed brick and prominent wine barrels make contemporary-industrial feel cozy and romantic. City Winery is not only home to some amazing wines—it is also a music venue, complete with a stage that can be used during formal events, and a restaurant that is home to some delicious food. Although full and partial buyouts are available, a rehearsal dinner would best be held in either the Restaurant (seats 110), the second-floor Mezzanine, which has its own private bar and bathrooms and seats 60, or the Private Barrel Room, an intimate setting surrounded by oak wine barrels that seats 30. Plus, both locations are surrounded by other fun restaurants, especially the Randolph Street location, which is near other fun bars and restaurants if your guests want to keep the prenuptial party going.
Revolution Brewing
If beer is more your speed than wine, consider Revolution Brewing for your rehearsal dinner. Illinois's largest craft brewery creates amazing ales like Fist City, 312 and Anti-Hero IPA, which will all be available on tap. Their menu also includes some absolutely delicious elevated takes on bar food (including some of the best salmon we've ever tasted in the Midwest). Plus, guests can enjoy a tour of the brewery and learn about the process, which makes for a fun and unique experience. While the Kedzie Tap Room requires a 150-guest minimum which makes it a better wedding reception location than rehearsal dinner, the Logan Square Brewers' Lounge, seats 30–104 guests and includes a full kitchen on-site in the original location opened in 2011.
Carnivale
Carnivale is a vibrant and lively venue in the Fulton Market neighborhood. Featuring colorful decor and original artwork, the restaurant itself is sure to impress. Plus, their menu of Latin-fusion food with Caribbean and Spanish influences includes ingredients sourced not only from local farmers, but also produce from their own rooftop garden. Carnivale regularly hosts events and shows, like the Copa Carnivale. Private rooms range from wedding venue-sized to three semi-private Salons that can accommodate 40 guests, with the option to tack on your own private bar. There is also the speakeasy-style Flamenco Room and the semi-private Lambada Room, tucked behind the main bar's glass bottle display.
Dusek's
Attached to the historic Thalia Hall founded in Pilsen in 1892, Dusek's Tavern exudes vintage charm. Featuring farm-to-table food and a seasonal menu of dishes that pair with the bar's artisanal cocktails, natural wines and craft beers, the space is available as a full buyout or a partial buyout of the East Dining Room (which includes a wood fire oven!). Alternatively, check out the Beer Cellar, a private space located behind a revolving bookcase with exposed brick and vintage lounge furniture that exudes a retro, yet sophisticated charm (max. 30 guests).
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The J. Parker
From its perch on North Lincoln Avenue, the J. Parker is a chic rooftop with a unique vantage point, offering stunning, unobstructed views of Lake Michigan, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the north part of downtown within a retractable glass roof. The menu includes a fine assortment of new American cuisine, like burgers and chicken wings. Buyouts of the Atrium and full rooftop are available and probably work best for a wedding, but for a rehearsal dinner, the J. Parker offers semi-private reserved sections for 10–60 guests, as well as a premium John Wilkes Booth section.
Avli
Transport yourselves to the Mediterranean by hosting your rehearsal at Avli. This upscale Michelin-rated Greek tavern has three locations in the city for hosting a private event: the Lincoln Park Avli Taverna, which has an intimate private dining room and a semi-private outdoor patio, Avli River North, a two-story whitewashed, pink bougainvillea-adorned building with private and semi-private options, and Avli on the Park, located in the heart of downtown with stunning rooftop views overlooking Maggie Daley Park. While decor differs slightly between locations, expect an elegant Mediterranean luxe vibe at each.
Chicago Firehouse
We're showing some love to the South Loop neighborhood with the Chicago Firehouse, a 115-year old fire station that's been converted into a steakhouse and cocktail bar. With its vintage steakhouse vibes, Chicago Firehouse features three private event rooms that seat up to 65, 45 and 25 seated guests, plus an outdoor veranda that seats up to 40. The Chicago Firehouse's menu features juicy steaks, amazing cocktails and delicious food (don't miss their drool-worthy lobster bisque!).
Portillo's
If you're looking for a casual (and less expensive option) that's as Chicago as can be, look no further than Portillo's. This fast-casual chain offers classic Chicago fare, including Polish sausage, Italian beef and the legendary cake shake. It's a great choice, especially if you're hosting out-of-town guests who may not have had the life-changing experience of an Italian beef, dipped, with peppers (yes, that is the only way to order). Portillo's has locations throughout both the city and suburbs with private dining rooms that can accommodate groups of 30–120.
Barcocina
Another fun and casual choice is Barcocina, located in Lakeview and West Town. Barcocina features inventive tacos and delicious cocktails (margarita, anyone?) amid fun decor including Edison bulbs, neon signs and more. The Lakeview location even has a fun outdoor patio that transforms into an igloo-filled winter wonderland. Options at the Lakeview location include the Private Party Bar, which seats 30–40 standing, the Private Party Room, which fits 200 standing and 100 seated, the Private Outdoor Couch Cabanas, which fit 15–60, or the Private Outdoor Party Room, which fits up to 70. It's also close to other fun bars, if your guests want to keep the party going. The West Town location also has a "Feed Me Tacos" party bar with views of their tequila bar that fits 75 standing guests.
Roots Handmade Pizza
Quad City pizza chain Roots Handmade Pizza makes for a fun, casual-yet-trendy event. Each of the four locations is decorated with neon lights, disco balls and tons of greenery. Expect menu options that include their world-famous pizza, pasta, salads and a variety of appetizers (their mozzarella sticks are divine). Private dining options include a private and semi-private space at the West Town location that seat 48 and 30, a dining room that seats 40, pizza party tables that seat 20, or a semi-private bar in the Lincoln Square location, a rooftop that seats 100 or a partial buyout for 10–75 seated guests at the South Loop location, or the Second City party room that seats up to 84.
Alhambra Palace
With its sweeping archways, mosaic tiles and Persian rugs, Alhambra Palace will feel like being in Morocco, Egypt, or Lebanon. Menu options include hummus and babaganoush, chicken and filet kabobs and spiced tagine. With over 24,000 square feet of luxe architecture, Alhambra Palace can accommodate rehearsal dinners in several distinct rooms. Walk through columned archways to reach the blue-ceilinged Babylon Room, which seats 90, or choose from the ornate VIP East and West Wings, which feature Turkish lamps and cushioned chairs and seat 50 and 40, respectively.
Uncommon Ground
If you're looking for a farm-to-table feast in a music venue, look no further than Uncommon Ground. With several locations throughout Chicago, Uncommon Ground provides a casual, funky space that serves sustainably sourced food—much of which is grown on the Edgewater location's rooftop garden—plus a partnership with Greenstar, the top organic brewery in Illinois. The Lakeview location, just two blocks north of Wrigley Field, offers two private event spaces, including one with a state-of-the-art sound system that seats up to 45, and another that spills into a private covered patio.
